Let's Fix What Is Broken
by OCDdegrassi
Summary: After Finn is bitten by Lucien, Elijah realizes that he needs his big brother more than he ever realized. A Fix-It for 3x17 in which Finn lives, and he and Elijah have a heart-to-heart.


**Title:** Let's Fix What Is Broken  
 **Author:** OCDdegrassi  
 **Pairing:** Elijah & Finn - Gen  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Warning:** Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, AU, Fix-It, Sibling Bonding  
 **Notes:**

1\. Season 5 is killing me right now, so I've decided to go back and write some of the stories that I have been thinking about since Season 3. This is cross-posted on AO3.

2\. This is a Fix-It to 3x17, because I really don't see why Finn had to die. Oddly enough, I was never very invested in the character until this episode. It completely broke my heart to think of him being paralyzed but conscious for the 900 years that he was daggered. How absolutely horrible! And honestly, why were Elijah and Kol able to live in a Chambre de Chasse when they were bitten, but Finn was not? Boo.

3\. Also, I think Elijah needs his big brother. It's my head-canon that he shows less emotions than his siblings, because he feels pressure to always be strong for everyone around him. Aside from that, I always loved how Elijah was unable to bring himself to kill Finn when he was resurrected in his old body, despite everything that Finn had done to them. It speaks volumes to me of Elijah's love for his brother. I just needed to write a reconciliation for these two!

xxx

"It's all a joke to you, isn't it? 900 years in a box just rolls off your tongue as if the time passed without consequence. I assure you, it did not," Finn said bitterly, and Elijah looked at him in disbelief.

"What are you suggesting? We never experienced anything, least of all the passage of time," Elijah responded. There was no way that what Finn was implying was true; it was impossible.

"Being daggered for decades and being daggered for centuries are very different things. It starts off as a dim pinprick of light, growing brighter year after year. A slow consciousness, but I was paralyzed, entombed in my own mind. That despair, utter loneliness, all amplified and made endless," Finn explained, and the hopelessness in his voice was like a knife to the gut for his little brother. Elijah swallowed hard, his stomach churning at his brother's words.

In all honesty, Elijah had never thought much of Finn's time in the "box." He had just assumed that his older brother had been asleep the whole time, just as he and Rebekah and Kol had been every time Niklaus daggered them. And that had been easy to justify; Finn was a threat to their survival, so putting him to sleep was the most obvious solution – harmless yet effective.

This new information was shattering all of that. The idea that Finn had been paralyzed, conscious but unable to move, was devastating. His older brother had been completely helpless, left alone for almost 900 years in silence and darkness with nothing but his own mind. Elijah inwardly shuddered. He could not think of a worse fate. It was no wonder that Finn had gone mad. Who wouldn't have?

The guilt was beginning to eat away at Elijah like battery acid corroding his stomach lining. He felt sick. He tried to focus on the task at hand instead, but he felt shaky and off-balance, the unfamiliar sensation of nausea making him almost dizzy. He shook his head, attempting to expel those thoughts that seemed to rattle through his mind like grenades. He had to focus on saving Freya; that was the only thing that mattered right now.

xxx

Lucien was strong – too strong. Elijah felt weak as he tried to fight him, being knocked down as if he were a rag doll. He _hated_ it. He was Elijah Mikaelson. He should not be brought down so easily by Lucien Castle, of all people. Lucien had Elijah in his grasp, ready to kill him, though Elijah still didn't understand how that was possible.

Elijah's eyes widened when he saw Finn approach them from behind. Finn smashed the bowl over Lucien's head, redirecting the hybrid's attention away from Elijah. Elijah was shocked that Finn would risk his life to protect Elijah; it was something that he'd only done when they were children. _This_ was the Finn that Elijah remembered growing up with – the older brother that had been his hero and his fiercest protector.

Elijah watched in horror as Finn was bitten, terror and dread washing over him like a tsunami. It was as if time stopped. He caught Finn as his heart pounded, blood rushing to his ears, and everything around him seemed to slow down. Freya's boundary spell was the only thing keeping Lucien away, but all that Elijah could focus on was the sound of Finn's screams echoing through his head.

Elijah was barely aware of their journey home, Freya driving while he stayed by Finn's side. He swallowed down the bile rising his throat as he watched his older brother writhe in pain. Elijah felt sick as he gripped Finn's hand tightly, trying to silently transfer some of his strength to his brother. He had seen a flash of the old Finn, and now Elijah couldn't stand to see him suffer.

Memories long forgotten were making their way to the front of his mind: Elijah thinking Finn was the most amazing person in the world, wanting nothing more than to be exactly like his big brother; Finn teaching Elijah how to hunt; Finn holding him when he was small and had a nightmare. Elijah used to adore Finn, following him around everywhere, and for several years, Finn had allowed it with a fond smile.

Then one day, that suddenly changed. Finn started growing annoyed with him, not wanting him around. Elijah remembered being devastated by his rejection, and he would be lying if he said that a part of him hadn't remained bitter over the years. Perhaps that was another – selfish – reason why he was fine with leaving Finn daggered for so long.

Yet in some ways, Finn was still the most like Elijah: they both tried to be noble and virtuous, doing what they _thought_ was best for the family, and Finn was the only one who understood why Elijah didn't want the burden of _forever_. They had been the only two that didn't want the last White Oak Stake destroyed, and the bond over their shared turmoil had been a reminder of better days.

Now, Finn was grunting, grinding his teeth in pain, and all Elijah could think was _not yet_. It felt like he just got his brother back – his real brother – and he wasn't ready to lose him again. Time after that felt surreal. Finn was hallucinating, begging them not to leave him alone, and the fact that this was Finn's worst nightmare made Elijah almost throw up for the first time in centuries.

Elijah felt like he was on a rollercoaster, emotions running wild as they whipped back and forth. First, fear at Finn's condition. Then, relief when Klaus' blood helped. Then, back to fear and confusion when Finn was suddenly sick again. Everything was happening too fast, and Elijah felt helpless. He assured Finn that they were there with him, but it wasn't enough. He was running out of time.

"Freya," Elijah said sternly, forcing Freya to look at him and take a deep breathe. She would be no help to their brother if she was panicking, so it was up to Elijah to calm her down.

"There must be something we can do; some spell to buy us more time," he urged. Inwardly, he was as terrified as she was, but he didn't have the luxury of showing it.

Elijah had to be the rock for his family – like always; a pillar or strength and rationality, even when he didn't feel it. He honestly just wanted to break down, frustration and fear hitting him like a freight train, but he couldn't. Something clicked in Freya's eyes, and Elijah felt a surge of hope.

"Yes, I can link him to one of our life forces using the same spell our Aunt Dahlia used to keep me alive for 1000 years. It will put him in a deep sleep, and I can create a Chambre de Chasse so that he will be comfortable. It will buy us time to find a cure," Freya explained in relief, and Elijah felt a hint of the tension ease from his shoulder.

"Link him to my life force," he said without hesitation. She nodded and got to work, finishing just in time to save their brother.

xxx

Finn was alive, and that was enough to give Elijah hope. But his body looked so lifeless, and Elijah was reminded of the way Finn spent most of his life just like this. Elijah's stomach was eating itself at this point, and he closed his eyes as he silently pleaded that Finn wasn't scared. The Chambre de Chasse _should_ prevent that fear, but Finn was still alone, which was exactly what he had pleaded to _not_ happen.

"Freya, put me in there with him," Elijah commanded, silently hoping for it to be possible since Finn was connected to his life force. Freya looked surprised.

"What? Why?" she asked in curiosity and worry.

"I need to talk to him. Just give me one hour," Elijah responded, his eyes pleading, and she relented.

Thankfully, it was not an issue to allow him entry into the Chambre de Chasse even though it was his life force keeping Finn alive. As long as Elijah was alive and well, then Finn was safe; it didn't matter if he was in a deep sleep or even if he was daggered (which was a relief, given Niklaus' propensity for daggering his siblings).

Soon enough, Elijah found himself inside the dreamscape. There was a beautiful house with a large garden out front that made the area look bright and vivid. It was peaceful, but quiet, and Elijah's concern over Finn's mental state grew. He searched the grounds for his brother, finding him staring out over a large lake. Elijah felt a twinge in his heart at the lost expression on his face.

"Finn," he called out quietly, and Finn shot up, turning to face Elijah in shock.

"Elijah? What are you doing here? Are you alright?" Finn looked Elijah up and down, searching for any sign of injury, even though one would not be visible in this dreamscape. His concern made Elijah's heart clench, the memory of his brother – the one he loved – standing right in front of him. At one time, Finn had been his best friend. He still couldn't believe how far apart they had fallen.

"I am well. I just wanted to speak with you," Elijah answered. Finn looked surprised, and Elijah couldn't blame him. He would have been shocked too if their positions were reversed.

"We will find a way to heal you. You have my word," Elijah assured Finn, not knowing what else to say.

"Thank you," Finn replied quietly, gratefulness and a hundred other emotions brimming in his voice. The two of them stood in an awkward silence for a moment, a million thoughts running through Elijah's head, but he wasn't good at this sort of thing.

"I'm sorry," Elijah finally whispered, sadness coloring his voice.

"I'm sorry for keeping you in that box for so long. I should have never allowed that," Elijah continued honestly, looking at Finn to ensure that his older brother saw the truth and regret in his gaze. Finn looked thrown off, his mouth opening and closing before he just stared at Elijah in contemplation.

"Did you really hate me that much?" Finn asked sadly, and Elijah felt like he'd been hit in the chest with a baseball bat.

"I did not hate you, Finn, I..." Elijah trailed off, feeling confused and frustrated by Finn's perspective.

"I used to think the world of you, Finn. When we were children, you were my best ally and my closest friend. I wanted to be just like you. But that changed as we grew older. You started to despise me, even before we turned. You didn't want me around you, and I never understood it. Why did you hate _me_?"

Elijah had never intended to ask, the question making him feel so pathetic and _young_ , but the worlds rolled off his tongue before he could stop them, and now that they were out, he _needed_ to know the answer. Finn looked apologetic, and he sighed.

"You were my closest friend as well, but you grew up, Elijah. You took on the role of big brother to the others, and you quickly became stronger than I was. You could protect and take care of yourself and everyone else, so I suppose I felt rather useless. I didn't hate you; I was envious of you. Even after we turned, you were always so strong and composed, even when I felt like I was tumbling into madness from the thirst," Finn paused, trying to pull his thoughts together.

"I was ashamed of myself and what I had become. I won't deny that I hate being a vampire; you have always known that. So, _you_ took charge. What good was I to any of you? I missed when you needed me, and I felt like a failure as an older brother. I suppose I just stopped trying out of self-hatred; I figured that you would be fine, because you obviously didn't need me anymore," Finn said in resignation and shame. Elijah looked at him blankly, shock coursing through his body like lightening. _That_ was what Finn thought?

"I always needed you," Elijah said softly. Finn opened his mouth to disagree, but Elijah stopped him with the raise of his hand.

"For over 1000 years, I have had to be the big brother in this family, putting everyone else's needs above my own. I have had to make the hard choices so that our siblings don't have to live with the guilt, and I have had to stay composed even when I felt like I was breaking so that they could look to me as an anchor in the midst of chaos. They have always depended on me to be strong and rational, and it has been exhausting," Elijah admitted. It wasn't like him to speak so openly, but this was _Finn_ , and these words had been simmering beneath the surface for 1000 years now, and even Elijah couldn't suppress them forever.

"I needed my big brother to share the burden with me when it was too much to bear. I needed you to let me fall apart when I was tired of holding it together. I needed you to help me keep this family together, because I feel like I am constantly failing. I needed you to be _my_ rock, but you weren't there. There have been times when I absolutely loathed you, Finn, but I have always needed you, and I still do," Elijah confessed brokenly, years of trauma and stress finally spilling out to the one person who would understand.

Freya was technically the oldest, but she never felt like a big sister to Elijah. He loved her, but she felt like another younger sibling that he had to protect. Freya, just like the others, would be terrified if Elijah ever admitted his fear or self-doubt, because it meant that they didn't have him to use as a lighthouse in the middle of the storm. Finn was the only one who wouldn't feel stressed by his revelation, nor would he judge Elijah for his weakness.

Finn's eyes were shining with understanding, finally seeing the truth that had always eluded him. He assumed that Elijah hated him because he was a disgrace as a big brother; he didn't realize that his little brother had just been silently crying for help the entire time, confused and hurt by Finn's own indifference. It didn't make it alright that he had been left in a box for 900 years, but Finn finally felt something other than hatred from Elijah.

Finn remembered holding Elijah the day that he was born. The little baby had been crying and squirming, but he calmed as soon as he was in Finn's arms. Finn saw him as a hope; a way to feel something other than grief after Freya was ripped from their family. He remembered when Elijah would come to him, instead of their mother, every time he got hurt, and how he looked at Finn with pride shining in his eyes whenever he learned something new. He had adored Elijah, and he suddenly missed that bond fiercely.

"I am sorry, Elijah. We have made a mess of this family," Finn admitted, and Elijah had given him a small laugh and nod in agreement.

"But I'm here now, and I'm ready to try and fix that. I promise that I will be a better big brother to you," he finished, and Elijah swallowed. Tears spilled down his face, hot trails left on his cheeks, but he couldn't stop them. Finn couldn't remember the last time he had seen Elijah cry, and his heart ached from the sight. He pulled Elijah toward him, hugging him tightly.

Elijah clung to him, sobbing into Finn's chest as 1000 years of pain and suffering finally erupted. The emotions that he had stifled for so long were boiling over, and he held onto Finn like a lifeline. Finn rubbed Elijah's back, feeling his brother tremble as the guilt washed over him. Neither of them had realized just how much Elijah needed Finn until that moment. Elijah reluctantly pulled away when he had no more tears left to cry.

"I promise that I will be a better brother to you, Finn. You have my word that you will never be daggered again," Elijah vowed, sincerity evident in his voice. He didn't care what he had to do to prevent Niklaus from daggering Finn; he would never make that mistake again. Finn's eyes were shining with unshed tears. Elijah's promise meant more to him than words could ever explain.

"I love you, Elijah," Finn said for the first time since they were children, and Elijah almost broke down again at hearing those words.

"I love you too, Finn. And I will visit you in here every week until we find a way to heal you," Elijah promised, and Finn smiled at his little brother.

"I'd like that."

xxx

In the end, Elijah didn't have to visit Finn many times. Elijah took Marcel's life, trying to avoid a prophecy that he inadvertently caused. He would never forgive himself for that, but Finn hadn't judged him; he had just held him and whispered soothing words into his ear as Elijah broke down and sobbed – _again_. Elijah couldn't remember the last time he had been this vulnerable, but he felt _safe_ with Finn.

After that, things spiraled very quickly. Elijah was bitten by Marcel, as was Kol, Rebekah was cursed, and Freya was poisoned. It was not their finest moment. Freya performed a spell to link them to Klaus' life force, switching Finn's link as well since Elijah was too weak. They were able to join Finn in the Chambre de Chasse, and the oldest Mikaelson had been shocked to see them.

"This is what I always dreamed of: a home away from the city, just family. We can be here together until Haley finds a way to cure us," Freya said wistfully. Finn smiled at his sister, hugging her in greeting. He glanced at Elijah, fondness dancing in his eyes, and Elijah knew in that moment that everything was going to be okay.

They had already been through so much, and they would triumph over this as well. Haley would find the cure, for _all_ of them, and they would come out of this on the other side, together. Always and Forever.

xxx

 **A/N:** Comments are always appreciated.


End file.
